Health Fitness : Causes Of Childhood Obesity

There are various kinds of causes for childhood obesity and it has been seen that these can lead to various health risks. Hence an ideal weight loss solution for your child is required to help them from avoiding various kinds of risks and injuries. The weight loss for children is usually one of the most ignored forms of obesity. The main causes for this is that most parents think that they would eventually lose weight as they grow older and this has proven be one of the biggest mistakes made by family members and parents.

It should be kept in mind that the obesity rates in teens are not increasing due to hormonal changes alone and hence parents need to care of the fact that the children may suffer from various kinds of mental and physical problems if they are not helped out at the right age. Usually the rapid weight loss process in children is not a difficult process as their metabolic rate is very high and this can be done through the help of various tricks and tips.

Also most children are helped by parents for gaining weight because their eating habits and lifestyle are controlled and regulated through parents. Thus if you want your child to lose weight then you have to help them out to a great extent and also understand that obesity is increasing at an alarming rate of almost 20%. Some of the major causes of obesity in children include factors like sedentary lifestyles and diets, with junk.


There have been various kinds of researches and studies on childhood obesity, which have shown that the approximate percentage of exercise and diet in children, for losing weight, is 20% and 80% on an average. Hence most children suffering from the problems of weight are due to their diets and hence main concern in losing weight should be food along with regular forms of exercises. It has also been suggested that a physically active child can become obese if the wrong diet is provided to him or her.

Thus parents should help these children in selecting the right diet and exercise to enable them to lose weight. For helping your child in this reference you should choose a health program that would help them in losing weight. A vital aspect here is to try and eliminate source of junk food and replace the same with healthier food options. It should always be remembered that even though fast and quick ways for weight loss are sought by most parents when it comes to your child you should not over-pressurize them.

The best ways for weight loss for children includes weight loss camps, sports like swimming, dance classes and other forms of exercises and weight loss techniques. These are interesting forms of weight loss methods and can be enjoyed by the children. Another factor here is the hormonal factor, which may also affect the growth of your child or teen. Thus all forms of weight loss supplements should be avoided and use natural methods for weight loss instead of any forms of medicines or machines.

Mental Health and Fitness

When addressing fitness we must go beyond the boundaries of the physical body to encompass the entire being. This should include the mental, emotional and energical dimensions of one’s being. One cannot consider himself totally healthy if he is mentally declining, emotionally unstable or energetically unbalanced.

We can ascertain aberrations within each dimension through self-examination. Once detected, we can implement the proper protocol to alleviate the condition. It is said that "an ounce on prevention is worth a pound of cure". As we focus on mental health today, we’ll direct our attention to preventing mental melt down and keeping the mind sharp and fit.

A de-conditioned mind can exhibit symptoms from poor memory, slow thinking and difficulty learning to more serious problems such as Alzheimer or Parkinson’s disease. Mental fitness is therefore just as critical, if not more so (your mind controls your body), as a fit body.

The mind like the body, if not used, will begin to deteriorate, diminishing one’s longevity, independence and quality of life. Think of the mind as a muscle that requires consistent stimulation in varying ways each day to stay mentally fit. If we neglect to exercise our muscles, they become soft and weak. If we fail to use our mental muscle we become susceptible disease. It is not however predestined that one will lose his mental capacity. In fact research strongly suggests that regular physical and mental exercise can keep the mind clear, sharp and functioning optimally throughout your entire life. Begin a regimen to maintain mental vitality.

Try the following suggestions to challenge your mind, keeping it healthy and sharp:

• Exercise your mind
• Reduces or eliminate drug and alcohol consumption
• Follow a regular exercise program, learn to reduce stress in your life
• Maintain a health, holistic diet
• After retirement choose a hobby, volunteer or work part-time (ok maybe not)

Try these mental exercises:

• Read stimulating books and magazines
• Do crossword puzzles
• Do calculations in your head
• Play board games such as trivia, chess and scrabble
• Use your non-dominate hand to brush your teeth, comb your hair and other task
• Test your memory with card games (old maid), name retention or grocery list
• Use your computer for learning about new endeavors such as on-line courses, special interest, current affairs and communication with family and friends
• Read backwards
• Read upside down

Health-tips For Dieting

I've seen all kinds of excellent motivators when it comes to dieting and taking your dieting seriously.

One of the more common reasons is to lose weight. This is as good of a reason as any. Some want to get back into the size 5 jeans they wore in high school while others would simply like to be able to look in the mirror once again without feeling guilt. For some this is a simple matter of vanity and for others it is finally managing to deal with what has become a lifelong problem. If you find the inspiration you need to be successful with your dieting this time as opposed to others, then that is the perfectly plausible and acceptable reason for you to diet.

Other reasons for dieting include a desire to be more physically fit. Some of us have a deep and abiding desire to live as long as possible and firmly believe that the best possible method for accomplishing this goal is to live the healthiest life possible. This is another excellent reason for losing weight and getting into shape. If it works for you that is. The thing to remember is that every person is going to have to find their very own motivation deep within.

Yet another great reason is to have the energy you need to keep up with your little ones. This is one of the most heartbreaking side effects for most when it comes to obesity. There is simply no energy left over at the end of the day to enjoy doing things with your precious little ones who are young for such a very short amount of time. You desperately want to be able to build those precious memories with them but absolutely have no energy with which to do so. If that isn't bad enough you probably (if you are considered morbidly obese) have noticed that many of the simplest activities with your children often bring you physical pain that is the direct result of your weight.

Revenge is a dish that is best served cold and another excellent motivator for some when it comes to dieting and taking off those pesky pounds. Losing a great deal of weight takes time in many cases so you must be able to maintain your motivation even when things are going rough along the way. The path to a new body is not an easy path. This is for those who have some serious emotional healing to do and the best revenge for old slights and wounds is to come back more beautiful than ever before. If this motivation is what it takes for you to take off the pounds then this is the motivation to which you should cling.

Religion is another common weight loss motivation. Some people believe the body should be treated as a temple. There is nothing wrong with this philosophy at all, though it takes some us longer to find our way to that line of thinking than others. Religion and faith are powerful motivators, as they have been known to bring healing to those in need by the power of their faith or their prayers. If your faith can give you the will power and strength you need in order to reach your dieting and weight loss goals then by all means lean on your faith and hold it close.

No matter what motivation you have for dieting and losing weight if you find it is no longer working for you, then you need to find another motivator quickly. Without proper motivation it is quite unlikely that you will ever meet your weight loss goals.

Health-Tips For "Running" Exercise

Running is as old as humankind itself but unfortunately it is not a regular exercise activity for many beginners. Those who live in the world's most modern cities with all the amenities to take care of all their needs,rarely think about it. Human feet are the miracle of nature's engineering system and no other thing in the world is as useful as human feet. It is never too late to start running but if you have rediscovered your capability for running then certain precautions and tips are necessary so that one feels to continue with the exercise. It has been seen that many enthusiastic runners take to running but seem to leave it soon because they do not follow simple and easy tips. There are many health benefits of running and one of them is that it is a great cardiovascular activity that makes the heart stronger.

The common benefits of running can be summed as;

• Increased cardiovascular activity
• Good stretching exercise for the whole body
• Better supply and circulation of oxygen in the body
• Better blood circulation in the body
• Running as stress buster

Beginner Running Tips
If one has started taking running exercises lately, then they must remember certain things so as not to be deterred from pursuing the activity. The popular beginner running tip stresses on the fact that one should not jump hastily and start running for a long distance . The beginner must start running for short distances and then go on increasing the activity as one gets used to it. Let the body adjust to the new activity otherwise one may experience pain and cramps in the body and this will prevent the beginner from continuing with the activity. The beginner should start running slowly and increase the speed as the body gets used to it.
The second and most useful tip for those who want to start running is to have a good pair of shoes that will help you in protecting your feet from getting injured. The shoes must be close fitting and Shorts, socks designed specially for running, a bra for ladies, are some other things that a beginner must have while starting out on the running exercise. The level of water in the body decreases when one is running and one may feel dehydrated so a water bottle is a must while running. A must avoid thing for beginners in running is not to overstretch one's capacity. Precaution Tips for Beginners For the beginners in running there are some really useful precautionary tips that they must pay attention to lest they may get injured. The basic health tip for the running beginners is that one should drink plenty of water. Use a powdered sports drink rather than a premixed one.

When you have started running it does not mean that you have got the license to eat as many dough nuts as you want. Those who take to running do put on weight. If you are planning to run for a longer distance then eating an hour is the best way to keep the body sufficiently energized. In order to prevent the skin from rashes while running one can use Vaseline or other such cream so that the skin rubbing is minimum. If there is any injury while running one should ice it immediately and there can be immediate relief. Tips for Staying Motivated Staying motivated is the key to keep yourself focused and continue with the running exercise. A beginner in running can take part in a race when there is enough preparation. A partner in running can as well be a source of motivation for the beginner because it becomes hard for the runner to avoid any running exercise when the partner is ready to go.
Reading and discussing things about running with friends helps in good motivation for the beginner. Even if the weight doesn't come down immediately after one has taken to running it is alright, patience and dedication always pay off in the long run.

The Spa Of Your Inner Mind

You're Ready for Advanced Hypnosis
You've been to hypnotists and are ready to continue the work on your own. You do not want anyone else guiding your work, you want to be in charge. You want a way to make your experience unique each time, tailored to your immediate needs. There is a way to do that, and it is called The Spa of Your Inner Mind.

Guided Imagery Gets To Be Just Too Guided
The suggestions hypnotists make are limited, typically by the limitations of the hypnotists themselves, that is to say, by their preconceived notions. And it is common for advanced enthusiasts of inner work to reach a point where they are ready to take on all of the reins themselves. If you are at that point, read on.

Create The Spa of Your Inner Mind
Drop down into a nice, comfy level and trance and create your own personal, private place of healing, transformation, insight and change. Think of it as a healing resort. Design your Spa in any way you like. Some folks choose the beach, others choose the mountains, some like the country, some like the city. It is your Spa. Choose wherever you like.

Your Spa Includes a Building and Grounds
The building can be large or small, modern or old fashioned, whatever suits your tastes. The grounds can be lush or sparse, may contain gardens or streams, can be woods or sandy shores. How it looks is only limited to your personal likes.

Your Building Contains Special Rooms
The names of the rooms reflect the activities you undertake inside them. The most common one is the Healing Room, and it is used for any kind of healing, whether emotional, physical, spiritual, or so forth. The next most useful room is the Insight Room, and you will enter there to get insight into your circumstances.

Another favorite room is called the Room of Detoxification, and it goes beyond the mere removal of physical toxins, since it is equally good for removing emotional negativity. The next big favorite is the Dead Genius Cafe, where you have access to the greatest minds of all time, all happy to consult with you upon whatever issues you choose. Lastly, a delightful way to end your Spa visit is by choosing either the Fun Room or the Play Room so you can have a few moments of simple enjoyment. All rooms expand in size or alter in any way at any time to augment your experience. You simply enter the room, and have the experience.

Additional Rooms Are Limited Only by Your Intention
You can create rooms especially for yourself. A few examples include the Room of Making Peace with The Past, the Vengeance Room, the Forgiveness Room, and the Room of Curing (place name of illness here). Simply choose an issue you want to work on, create a room with that name, enter it, and have the experience you most need to have at that time within the parameters you have set yourself.

It Is Never the Same Experience Twice
Let us use the Healing Room as our example. Perhaps one time you need to heal a broken heart, the next time you need to heal a stubbed toe, and the next you want to heal your relationship with God. All of these and more are possible. Your own subconscious mind will create whatever you need at that time in accordance with your intention. And this goes for every room you enter. You go inside and your experience unfolds for you, uniquely.

The One Big Rule
You have all the power at your Spa. What you say goes at your Spa at all times. At the speed of thought, anything you need is there for you, including people, facilities, equipment, and spiritual entities such as angels, spirit guides, or departed loved ones with whom you need to communicate. It is your Spa, and you have all the power here at all times.

Is There an Easier Way?
Yes, there is an easier way. "The Spa of Your Inner Mind" CD takes you through all the steps in under an hour, combining music, narration, and detailed instructions. You are able to experience your own Spa Rooms privately, in your own time, in your own home. The Rooms included are Healing, Insight, Detox, the Dead Genius Cafe, and then your choice of either the Fun or the Play Room. Welcome to a breakthrough in hypnosis technique, one in which you tailor your experience to your own needs each and every time you visit The Spa of Your Inner Mind.

Quit Smoking In 7 Easy Ways

Another year, another beginning.

For those among us who seemed to have just had it and kept smoking on top of their New Year's resolution list of things to banish for years, it's not too late to do so. Better late than never as that saying goes. But before it is too late, and I mean REALLY late, here are a number of ways to do to start kicking that puff addiction.

1.
Learn new skills or hobbies. Since your mind is set to smoke in your idle time, for sure there could still be a thousand things out there you could engage yourself in to preoccupy yourself.

2.
Create a diversion. Most working professionals specially now of booming call center industries, majority of whom working on graveyard shifts, have formed the habit of smoking as a means to keep awake. Try to find other methods that will work for you like taking a walk during your break or get busy with other co-workers who hopefully don't have formed smoking as a habit to bide by time as well. There may be a high chance however that your peers are not always "smoke-free" which then takes me to tip number 3.

3.
If your peer group makes it difficult to quit, learn to say no or to not give in to temptation. The thing about habits is that usually, psychological and social influence steps in. When people you are commonly with do something frequently, the tendency is to join the bandwagon. So if you really are determined to stop what you know by joining your friends would only make it difficult to shun, then avoid being in the presence of people who are in the practice of this habit. This is not always the case though of course so if it can't be helped to be in the company of people who smoke, then be on guard of yourself to partake. It's just like going on a diet, when everyone else is taking platefuls of servings one after another in a dinner buffet, how could you resist grabbing more than what you can eat? You suddenly remember you have to keep track of your calorie intake lest you won't lose those extra pounds.

4.
Alter your palate. If your mouth just have gotten used to smoking, try substituting sweets like candies or drinks to satisfy the craving.

5.
Seek moral and medical support. Let your friends and family members know that you are on the road to smoke-rehabilitating yourself so they wouldn't smoke around you or lure you of doing it by any other means. Consult your doctor and maybe he/she could advise other ways you could do to abstain or if there are programs he/she could recommend to assist you. Do so also to assess your physical condition and to see if smoking hasn't done any alarming damage (which we all hope not) to your body yet.

6.
Set a quit date. It's like getting on a personal journey, you foresee yourself getting from point A to B within a target date. By giving yourself a time frame to carry out your goal, you'll be more determined to actually make it a reality.

7.
Be prepared for difficulty and most definitely a relapse. Do not quit on quitting when you have smoked a stick after you have told yourself you wouldn't anymore. When you have violated your rules, learn to forgive and forget and most certainly to start anew.

Try This tings out.. U Can definately do that easily..!!!

--Herbs For Anxiety

Herbs are known to cure the most deadly diseases and disorders just with their essence. These herbs can show results that the medical science sometimes can’t. This is why medical science has a very sacred place for these herbs and the herbal treatment. Herbs are the ancient cures that are still being effectively used as a prescription for anxiety stricken individuals.

There are herbs that can save someone’s life then what the hell is anxiety in comparison. But when taking herbal prescription for anxiety you must be 100% sure that the person providing the herb is a genuine doctor, else this same herb can cause ill-effects that can disturb your metabolism in no time.

Large numbers of herbs are there which can be used to help a patient suffering from anxiety. The best thing about these herbs is that they are extremely safe and do not offer any ugly side effects to the patients. These herbs can surely help you in relaxing you muscles and hence you feel free from all sorts of tensions around you. These herbs treat the problem of anxiety from the grass root level. Other drugs in the market that claim to be a perfect solution to your anxiety problem actually are temporary cure to anxiety.

These drugs only help in removing tension for a while but they do not remove it from your life. The herbs on the other hand make your life happier by attacking the reason that makes you anxious at times. Thus, this is the reason why herbal treatment scores over the antidepressants and other allopathic drugs in the market.

Some of the most common side effects that are caused by the prescription anxiety treatments are headache, stomach upset and fatigue, insomnia, sexual problems, abnormal bleeding, manic episodes and seizures. Thus instead of giving a relief from anxiety these drugs can cause much more damage to you then they actually help in removing anxiety. This is why herbal treatment is the most sought after one in today’s world. There are certain Antidepressants that can cause suicidal tendencies in the patient, hence they should not be taken until and unless you are assured that they will not harm you. Some doctors reject the use of antidepressants from the outskirt.

All these fears about the side effects and suicidal tendencies after using antidepressants have caused the people to turn to herbal remedies for anxiety. There are many herbs that have been used for centuries to treat anxiety, depression and stress. It feels like there nothing known as tension in this world once you take these herbs. Apart from removing tension, these herbs can also nourish your mental health and you will stronger mentally. There are certain special nutrients in these herbs which attack directly at your nervous system and help in reducing anxiety.

Some of the well known anxiety herbs include the Ginkgo Biloba, Bacopin, Chamomile, Rhodiola and Passion Flower. The amount of herbs to be taken depends entirely on the person who is taking it and the degree of anxiety he is suffering from.

--Stress Can Lead To Anxiety

.

Do you know what stress is and is it always a problem? Well the answer is NO, stress is not a problem to us if it is present in small amount, well in that case it is good for our mind and body as it keeps them awake. But the problem starts to creep in when the stress crosses the barrier that is set for a safe working mechanism of the body and then it starts to show some drastic effects which only some individual can bear. Those who can bear it are mentally tough and those who lie on their knees in front of excessive stress are not so tough. But what is the limit that one can put on the stress amount so that it remains a motivation and doesn’t become a vague pressure.

Let us take a look on it:

Normally the stress keeps on building up and is released periodically once the work that was causing the stress is done. The problem starts to creep in when the stress is not released and then it can lead to high degree of anxiety and finally to depression. This is called unconstructive stress for the body. At that time there is no motivation to do work; else there is a fear that if the work is not done then it may become fatal. Then suddenly our behavior starts to change towards the people that surround us and we start to become more aggressive in life. The concentration power tends to get lost and we cannot sit at place thinking about one goal. Under such situation the most simple tasks become complex and we seem to get entangled in them, all this due to excessive stress.

Medical science has been researching on the fact that does stress lead to anxiety and eventually depression and the results are staggering. Under most of the cases when a person is made to face excessive stress, the result was depression change from normal behavior. This shows that human race is going no where with this excessive stress and it is only getting damages from it. Now the question arises that if we all know the ill effects of excessive stress then why on the first hand we indulge into it. This is because of the increasing competition in the market. Today a common man wants to overtake his ir her colleague or business rival for money or praise. In this race to compete we usually neglect our basic need to rest and this result in excessive stress.

To lead a happy life we all need to relax a bit and run away from these stresses. To decrease the negative impact of stress in life is to learn ways to tackle it and not eliminate the stress source. You will eliminate one source of stress and the second will be there waiting for you, thus the only way out is to learn how to get along with stress and how to work under pressure. By learning to control stress in life, you can learn to be happy under any situation.

--Improving Mental Health

“Mental health can be referred to exercises that will help you to reap some astonishing benefits from your mind”.

If you wish to keep your brain healthy and functional for a long time then you must improve your mental health with the help of exercises. Mental Exercises essential if you want a healthy lifestyle. Doctors suggest that with the help of mental exercises you can successfully combat stress. If you want to break the stress cycle of your life then mental exercises is the best solution to your problem. Don’t forget you can’t remain tense and relax simultaneously.

According to a research by Physiologists mental exercises are a successful alternative in dealing with feelings of depression. These exercises give you a brighter outlook towards life. With the help of these exercises your ability to concentrate would be improved and you would remain more alert thus keeping your brain sharp. Here are some ways in which you can improve your mental health:

• If you want to tease your brain power then indulge your self in mind games. Games like suduko, crosswords and electronic games will improve brain’s memory and speed. These games will help you out in improvement of logic, math and word skills. You can experiences their benefits in few days if you play these games daily for 15 minutes.

• Mediation is one of the best exercises for your mind, body and soul. It gives your brain a complete workout along with complete relaxation of whole body. You can indulge your brain in new and different ways with the help of mediation.

• If you want your brain to function well then you must supply it some healthy fats. Nuts such as walnuts and fish oil from wild salmon are some of the best alternates. You must eliminate Tran’s fats completely from your diet and increases the intake of less saturated fat.

• If you want to solidify memories and events then you must tell good stories. With the help of stories you can interpret things easily and share some of your precious moments. Story telling is not only interesting it’s also a complete fun it would keep people’s interest in you for a long time.

• Spend more time with nature exercising rather than sitting at home and watching television. TV can hamper your mental abilities and relationships.

• If you wish to have a healthy brain then you must exercise your body well. With new physical exercise your brain learns muscle skills that help you to be sharper mentally and physically.

• Your mind becomes active whenever you learn new skills. So focus on learning new things if you wish to make your mind sharper and stronger. Your memory comes into play whenever you learn something new and multiple areas of brain become active.

• If you want to improve your mental health then you must take help from brain training techniques. You can either buy books on such techniques or take web help to learn them.

--Mental and Emotional Health

“Mental and emotional health refers to feelings, thoughts and actions of an individual specifically when a person faces stresses and challenges in his or her life”.

Emotional and physical health problems are due to absence of good mental health. Our society is divided into distinct cultures which have their own metal and emotional characteristics that define well-being of a person.

Our emotions are not separate entities from us they are an active part of our body mind & soul. Whenever you suffer from emotional and mental stresses, your physical health is also affected. Your spirits are raised only if you are mentally and emotionally fit. Researchers reveal that if stresses are never balanced then you can suffer from many physical distresses which are linked to your state of mind. When people are depressed, anxious, stressed or grief-stricken then their lives are in danger. Mental and emotional stresses affects your personal relationships and work abilities.

Mental and emotional health problems can be due to traumas and serious losses in early phases of life. Social conditions in which a person lives are the most important characteristic for good mental and emotional health. Feelings of disgust are usually developed due to negative thoughts and even sometimes because of side effects of medications. There are various genetic and bio-medical causes of which are responsible for emotional stresses.
A person with good mental and emotional health must have the following characteristics:

• A healthy person always posses a sense of contentment and well-being. One must have the ability to enjoy life and have fun. An emotionally healthy person always has a zest of living, to laugh and enjoy along with others.

• You should keep up the spirits high and must be capable to deal with stresses of life. The ability to fight back even in adverse conditions is must.

• With the help of positive relationships and meaningful activities, an emotionally healthy person participates in experiences of life to complete extent. The feeling of self realization is must in person.

• Presence of good mental health means ability to grow, change and experiences different aspects as one faces different circumstances in life. You must make your self flexible in order to deal with ordeals of life.

• Another important characteristic of good emotional health is the ability to strike balance in different aspects of life. You must be social as well as remain in solitude with your loved ones. One must have the ability to work and play simultaneously. Similarly catering all your daily physical and emotional needs of exercising rest and sleep.

• There should be an intellectual development of your heart, spirit, body, mind and soul. A sense of well-roundedness and creativity is a must.

• The person who is emotionally and mental healthy always shows concerns for other. He or she has the ability to take care of his own and other closed ones. A person must have good self-esteem and self-confidence in order to remain physically and mentally active.

--Mental and Emotional Health

“Mental and emotional health refers to feelings, thoughts and actions of an individual specifically when a person faces stresses and challenges in his or her life”.

Emotional and physical health problems are due to absence of good mental health. Our society is divided into distinct cultures which have their own metal and emotional characteristics that define well-being of a person.

Our emotions are not separate entities from us they are an active part of our body mind & soul. Whenever you suffer from emotional and mental stresses, your physical health is also affected. Your spirits are raised only if you are mentally and emotionally fit. Researchers reveal that if stresses are never balanced then you can suffer from many physical distresses which are linked to your state of mind. When people are depressed, anxious, stressed or grief-stricken then their lives are in danger. Mental and emotional stresses affects your personal relationships and work abilities.

Mental and emotional health problems can be due to traumas and serious losses in early phases of life. Social conditions in which a person lives are the most important characteristic for good mental and emotional health. Feelings of disgust are usually developed due to negative thoughts and even sometimes because of side effects of medications. There are various genetic and bio-medical causes of which are responsible for emotional stresses.
A person with good mental and emotional health must have the following characteristics:

• A healthy person always posses a sense of contentment and well-being. One must have the ability to enjoy life and have fun. An emotionally healthy person always has a zest of living, to laugh and enjoy along with others.

• You should keep up the spirits high and must be capable to deal with stresses of life. The ability to fight back even in adverse conditions is must.

• With the help of positive relationships and meaningful activities, an emotionally healthy person participates in experiences of life to complete extent. The feeling of self realization is must in person.

• Presence of good mental health means ability to grow, change and experiences different aspects as one faces different circumstances in life. You must make your self flexible in order to deal with ordeals of life.

• Another important characteristic of good emotional health is the ability to strike balance in different aspects of life. You must be social as well as remain in solitude with your loved ones. One must have the ability to work and play simultaneously. Similarly catering all your daily physical and emotional needs of exercising rest and sleep.

• There should be an intellectual development of your heart, spirit, body, mind and soul. A sense of well-roundedness and creativity is a must.

• The person who is emotionally and mental healthy always shows concerns for other. He or she has the ability to take care of his own and other closed ones. A person must have good self-esteem and self-confidence in order to remain physically and mentally active.

--Spirituality And Health

“Spirituality and mental health can be defined as state psychological and emotional well being of an individual”.

Defining spirituality means defining yourself. Both spirituality and mental health can be referred to as the capability of the person to functions it self well. If you are suffering from emotional stresses then spirituality would help you out to recover yourself. With the help of spirituality you can re discover the holistic meanings of yourself which would help you in recovery of your mental health.

Spirituality means one should be acquainted with the notion of body, mind and soul. It can be viewed as a process of being connected to inner soul. With the help of spirituality you can add harmony to your surroundings and bring peace to your life.

With the help of spirituality you can improve your relationships giving you mental peace. If you are mentally stressed out then spirituality would help you to develop self esteem and would help you in sorting out issues affecting the peace of your mind. Spirituality would bring you closer to god, nature and force of universe; this would help you to develop healthy relationships and connections with your family and loved ones.

A person faces mental and emotional stress at workplaces. With the help of spirituality you can develop connections which would help you in social situations and you would feel that you have become more concerned about your work and you can now shine with your hard work.

Spirituality to attain mental peace is completely about finding the answers to the problems that are bothering your emotional peace. To achieve good mental health one needs to follow the path of spirituality because without it you can answer those questions that arise in your inner soul. If you give your self some time and isolate yourself to know what has been missing in your life that has taken your mental peace then you can make your life beautiful. With the help of spirituality you can bring back the missing element of life. Both spirituality and mental health are incomplete without each other.

To achieve mental peace with the help of spirituality one needs to set up specific goals that are achievable. With the help of spirituality you can achieve these goals. Here are some tips on spirituality which would help you to attain good mental health:

• With the help of prayers and meditation you can bring back the peace to your life. One should devote time to assess what has gone wrong in life and why has it happened. So that you don’t make same mistakes later in your life.

• To develop relationships you must spend time groups. You can participate in any interactive sessions or plays.

• Recreation is something best for those who are distressed. Try to indulge in activities where you can have fun.

With the help of new hobbies and sports you can remain cheerful all the time. So take time for yourself to pave out way for your own happiness.

Stress Can Be Seen By Looking Your Skin

It seems itchy skin, blotches and rashes now increasingly figure on the list of lifestyle diseases that afflict young urban professionals. Typically, a stressful life (coupled with sedentary habits) is seen as a causative factor for a host of ailments—from hormonal imbalance to hypertension. Skin disorders now figure alongside these health issues as more people turn to dermatologists with problems ranging from adult acne to pigmentation.

Itching with anxiety?

“Stress is responsible for many skin problems, including conditions such as dermatitis, where one develops a rough, dry, scaly dark patch, which is highly persistent and itchy,” says Charulata Bose, consultant dermatologist, Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon.

Also Read Combating some stressful skin conditions (PDF)

Dr Bose recalls a 25-year-old marketing professional (name withheld to protect patient’s privacy) whose new job entailed long hours and tough working conditions, including a difficult boss. “Within three months, she noticed very severe hair fall,” Dr Bose says. As often happens in skin-related disorders, the hair fall further exacerbated her stress. By the time she came to Dr Bose, her scalp was showing. She was treated with nutritional supplements—“We had to pump in antioxidants into her system to help negate the effect of stress,” says Dr Bose—then a three-month treatment to regenerate hair, followed by topical applications for hair growth.

Photo: JupiterImages

“Urbanites today are ageing faster than previous generations, with issues such as ageing skin, wrinkles, dark circles and hair loss emerging as common complaints in the age group between 25 and 40 years,” says Pakhi Pereira, consultant dermatologist, Kaya Skin Clinic, Bangalore.

Is it your work?

Take the case of 27-year-old Savita Lakshman, a public relations consultant who found that her work routine had triggered a bout of adult acne that left her with scars. Lakshman has been treated by dermatologists at Kaya Skin Clinic for over four years now, starting with a year-long course of glycolic peels combined with treatments for acne and scar reduction. Lakshman now follows a rigorous routine of skin protection coupled with adequate fluid intake to protect her skin.

“In traditional societies, the physical activity involved in (the) daily routine would release endorphins that helped people de-stress,” says Pereira. “These days, the combined effect of less physical work and long hours spent indoors shows on the skin.” She also lists higher pollution and exposure to ultraviolet radiation as triggers.

A 12-hour workday leaves 28-year-old Rashmi Panwar with little time. As early as her first year in a new job, Panwar, a retail and real estate consultant in New Delhi, realized that stress at work was taking a toll, leaving her with habitual dark circles and dull, uneven skin. There was little time for remedial action until two years ago, though, when she found the first signs of pigmentation: dark freckles on her earlier clear skin. “I realized it was time to seek help to prevent further damage to my skin, which was reflecting the fatigue that was bottled up,” says Panwar, who has been treated with photo facials to reduce the pigmentation. She now combines regular skincare and twice-a-week yoga sessions with a personal trainer to help her destress.

Dermatologists recommend holistic treatments to soothe stressed-out skin. “I use a combination of skin procedures such as microdermabrasion and peels along with procedures such as colon hydrotherapy to detoxify the skin,” says Simal Soin, dermatologist, Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. She sees an increasing number of patients in the 30-50 age group with skin disorders.

Recent research also points to stress as a trigger for skin ailments. After all, the skin is the first level of defence against infections, both as a physical barrier and as a site for white blood cells to battle invading bacteria and viruses. But these white blood cells can also overreact to stress, resulting in inflamed skin (as with dermatitis), according to a study published in the November issue of American Journal of Pathology. “Knowing the cause actually helps remove half the problem. A little help from the dermatologist can go a long way in taking care of, and reversing, skin disorders,” says Dr Bose.

Destress first, then treat

“Mental stress can exacerbate chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis and give rise to allergies, so it is important to understand what is causing the stress before we treat the skin,” says Pereira, who recommends medical treatment along with counselling to help a person identify the cause of stress and find ways to combat it.

Shiv K. Sharma, senior chief medical officer, department of skin and STD at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, agrees. “Stress should be managed before taking up the treatments of (the) above-mentioned elements for long-lasting effect. One should follow a regular routine of sleeping and eating, with a sufficient intake of fruits and vegetables. Exercising at least four-five times a week is most helpful. If stress is not addressed, the stress-induced diseases can progress to psycho-pathological disorders like neurotic excoriations (unconscious picking, digging and scraping of skin) or trichotillomania (the abnormal urge to pull out one’s own hair from the scalp, eyebrows or beard, or even eyelashes),” he says.

Alert

Wash your hands, folks—especially you, ladies. A study funded by the US National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, published in November, found women have a greater variety of bacteria on their hands than men. The researchers suggest it may have to do with the acidity of skin (men generally have more acidic skin than women). Other possibilities include differences in sweat and oil gland production, the frequency of moisturizer or cosmetics application, skin thickness or hormone production, the researchers say. Kavita Devgan

Household linen, clothes, mats dipped in ayurvedic herbs and dyed with vegetable colours are all part of a clothing line, Ayurvastra, that is retailed at the Niraamaya store in Fort Kochi (ayurvastraonline.com). The concept of herbal medicines infused in clothing and linen that people come in contact with is an idea that originates from the ayurvedic system of medicine. According to ayurveda exponents, the benefits of clothes infused with medicinal herbs are more pronounced during periods of repose, the reason why the ayurvastra line of clothing includes nightwear, mats and bedcovers. Archana Rai

Avoid

Human genes remember a sugar hit for two weeks, and prolonged poor eating

habits can permanently alter DNA. Australian researchers found that cells showed the effects of a one-off sugar hit by switching off genetic controls designed to protect the body against diabetes and heart disease. “We now know that chocolate bar you had this morning can have very acute effects, and those effects can continue for up to two weeks,” says lead researcher Sam El-Osta of Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute. Poor eating would amplify the effect, he adds, with genetic damage lasting months or years, and potentially passing through bloodlines. AFP

Read

His book defends vaccines against the anti-vaccine movement in the US; but there will be no book tour for Paul A. Offit, author of ‘Autism’s False Prophets’ (Columbia University Press). He’s had too many death threats. Offit, chief of infectious diseases, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is co-inventor of a vaccine against rotavirus, a diarrhoeal disease that kills 600,000 children a year in poor nations. Offit traces the history of autism theories (from child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim blaming “refrigerator mothers”) and early false cures (“facilitated communication”, which helped mute children to type their thoughts; head-squeezing by osteopaths; cod liver oil; diets; and a 1998 fad for secretin, a pig hormone). ©2009/THE NEW YORK TIMES

Fitter In Just 10 Minutes

Ideally, you should ensure that you are out of breath for an hour a day, every day. However, exercise needn’t be an all-or-nothing venture. Just 10 minutes on a treadmill or stationary bicycle make a significant difference. You may not lose weight or lower your blood pressure, but you will end up aerobically fitter—and your waistline could get smaller (belly fat is linked to insulin resistance, contributing to heart disease and diabetes). You could also try:

• Working around the house or in the garden

• Swimming

• Playing in the park with children

• Brisk walking

*********

Click here to watch video

More power to your stride

Walking can burn calories faster than a jog. Even better is power walking:

• Aim for 4.5mph.

• Long strides are tiring. Take quick, heel-ball-toe steps.

• Bend elbows and swing arms to help you walk faster.

• Can’t sustain the pace? Add speed bursts to your walk.

Elastic strength

Forget machines and weights. A simple elastic band lets you stretch and train for strength, balance and agility, at near-zero risk of injury. Anyone can use resistance bands (even children or seniors). At a one-time cost of Rs1,000 each, they are much cheaper than gym fees for a family, and can work most muscles.